Msyterious Underground Structure

[Guest 1551]

I was hunting at my Second Seminole War fort a few days ago and i picked up an enormous iron signal on a 20 ft diameter mound. I dug through some limestone rocks and crumbly bricks and i could see a grate of some sort. Since i couldnt tell how big it was, I decided to leave it. Though I didnt fill in the hole. I went back today with Dad and brought along my detecting gear and an extra shovel for Dad. I showed Dad the mound and grate and he decided that I would go look for relics while he began excavating the grate area. I returned about 65-70 minutes later and he had done an incredible job uncovering the grate. He had a massive pile of limestone and broken bricks that he said were scattered throughout the dirt covering the grate. I got back just as he was getting ready to remove the massive grate; which turned out to be circular. I sat down and began to help remove dirt, loose rocks and broken bricks. After a while we decided it was time to call it a day, but that we would come back and take pictures. As we were about to leave he noticed writing on one of the only 6 compete bricks he had removed from the hole. We took it, along with two others home. After cleaning all three we realized they all bore the inscription T. Anderson. Later he dropped me back off at the place with several tools. I removed a lot more dirt and broken brick and then brushed off the brick structure. I also brought home the three other complete bricks, two of which said T. Anderson. and another that said T A & Sons. The excavated area measures 3' by 4'. Do you guys have any idea what this struture was? As i said before, the mound is about 20 feet across and has a ton of brick throughout it. Also, does anyone happen to know anything about the two bricks i posted? I'll let y'all know when we are able to go back and dig more! Thanks for looking!

HH

~Donney

P.S. The first thing Dad said to me when we realized we had an awesome structure was "Will we make banner this time?!?" I told him probably not but its worth a go

 

[Greylock]

I have no clue what it is but it's interesting and ill be waiting to hear more.

 

[sandchip]

I don't know, either but it looks like some kind of catch basin and drain. Was the grate over the large part of the teardrop shaped brick part? Very neat.

 

[uglymailman]

Pour a 5 gallon bucket of water in it and see if it drains. If it does, follow the water. My first thought was cistern but dosen't appear deep enough. Sewer or storm water drain?
I like the bricks as I am a T. Anderson. Good luck.

 

[jewelerguy]

interesting

 

[unclemac]

19th century foundation drain..

https://www.google.com/search?q=fou...tbm=isch&q=19th+century+foundation+drain+tile

 

[unclemac]

found this

Not Just Another Brick in the Wall: An Introduction to the Firebrick industry in the Upper
Ohio Valley and its impact on the Louisiana sugar industry.
Since 2008, Coastal Environments, Inc., (CEI) has conducted several phase 1 – 3 projects
involving sugarhouses. The most common artifacts found at sugarhouses are bricks of various
types, which include marked firebricks. Some of the bricks include marks that can be traced to
the St. Louis, Missouri area. Others have marks that have yet to be sourced. The unsourced
marks include: S.P. & Co., T.ANDERSON, FREEMAN, T.FREEMAN, PORTER&CO, T.A. &
Sons, and etc. If these bricks can be sourced and dated, then they would prove useful in helping
date phases of construction of sugar houses. The firebrick manufacturers of the Upper Ohio
River Valley were the first west of the Appalachian Mountains. These firebrick manufacturers
are possible candidates for a few of the unidentified firebricks.

 

[david680]

found this

Not Just Another Brick in the Wall: An Introduction to the Firebrick industry in the Upper
Ohio Valley and its impact on the Louisiana sugar industry.
Since 2008, Coastal Environments, Inc., (CEI) has conducted several phase 1 – 3 projects
involving sugarhouses. The most common artifacts found at sugarhouses are bricks of various
types, which include marked firebricks. Some of the bricks include marks that can be traced to
the St. Louis, Missouri area. Others have marks that have yet to be sourced. The unsourced
marks include: S.P. & Co., T.ANDERSON, FREEMAN, T.FREEMAN, PORTER&CO, T.A. &
Sons, and etc. If these bricks can be sourced and dated, then they would prove useful in helping
date phases of construction of sugar houses. The firebrick manufacturers of the Upper Ohio
River Valley were the first west of the Appalachian Mountains. These firebrick manufacturers
are possible candidates for a few of the unidentified firebricks.

Good find!

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

I think its a brick furnace.. Someone posted one here years ago !!

Keep @ it and HH !!

 

[Guest 1551]

I don't know, either but it looks like some kind of catch basin and drain. Was the grate over the large part of the teardrop shaped brick part? Very neat.

yep, it was over the teardrop shape. So far thats one of the possibilities we are now considering. we'll know for sure once we are able to excavate more.

Pour a 5 gallon bucket of water in it and see if it drains. If it does, follow the water. My first thought was cistern but dosen't appear deep enough. Sewer or storm water drain?
I like the bricks as I am a T. Anderson. Good luck.

thanks man. Unfortunately, there's dirt all in it so it wouldn't have anywhere to drain, yet. its not a sewer or storm water drain because of where it is (out in the middle of a forest) I got a kick out of the fact that you're a T Anderson!

19th century foundation drain..

https://www.google.com/search?q=fou...tbm=isch&q=19th+century+foundation+drain+tile

Cool! that could be what it is, definitely a possibility!

found this

Not Just Another Brick in the Wall: An Introduction to the Firebrick industry in the Upper
Ohio Valley and its impact on the Louisiana sugar industry.
Since 2008, Coastal Environments, Inc., (CEI) has conducted several phase 1 – 3 projects
involving sugarhouses. The most common artifacts found at sugarhouses are bricks of various
types, which include marked firebricks. Some of the bricks include marks that can be traced to
the St. Louis, Missouri area. Others have marks that have yet to be sourced. The unsourced
marks include: S.P. & Co., T.ANDERSON, FREEMAN, T.FREEMAN, PORTER&CO, T.A. &
Sons, and etc. If these bricks can be sourced and dated, then they would prove useful in helping
date phases of construction of sugar houses. The firebrick manufacturers of the Upper Ohio
River Valley were the first west of the Appalachian Mountains. These firebrick manufacturers
are possible candidates for a few of the unidentified firebricks.

Wow, thanks man! Interesting read, hopefully we'll be able to identify they're maker but i guess its not looking to hot.

 

[E36graduate]

Can u post some pics of the general landscape? It will help to get an idea of the terrain! I'm in. Massachusetts so I'm not looking to come steal your find!

 

[flyadive]

I'm thinking it was used for cold smoking meat, fire was built in the center and was channeled underground to the smoke house.

 

[I-DIG-IT]

Nice digs.

 

[Guest 1551]

Can u post some pics of the general landscape? It will help to get an idea of the terrain! I'm in. Massachusetts so I'm not looking to come steal your find!

I wont be able to get back for a few days unfortunately (trust me though, i'm gonna try to go as soon as possible. Darn schoolwork) I cant really post pictures of the terrain because there is a good chance some locals on here may recognize it. But, i will tell you that it is mostly palmettos, and a few trees.

I'm thinking it was used for cold smoking meat, fire was built in the center and was channeled underground to the smoke house.

maybe a smokehouse, its hard to say for sure though if it is.

 

[Dug]

Pour a 5 gallon bucket of water in it and see if it drains. If it does, follow the water. My first thought was cistern but dosen't appear deep enough. Sewer or storm water drain?
QUOTE]

Not knowing how thick the bricks are around this, I would think that using a bottle probe would help you locate the end of it for a secondary exploratory dig hole to see where it goes. If the brick and rock is too thick then I would do a couple exploratory holes in line with where it appears to be heading. If a cistern then a house site should be near by.

One has to wonder why on top of a mound where the rain would drain off naturally?

 

[pkb]

its the hatch from "Lost"

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

I'm 95% sure its a brick furnace.... There are many examples of these just do a Google search. A few different designs but this one is typical of a colonial brick furnace used to make the bricks you have posted.

Keep @ It and HH !!

 

[unclemac]

keep in mind that round iron grate too.

 

[Guest 1551]

My Dad was able to get out there today and as you can see he cleared off more dirt behind the bricks. He was able to reveal solid limestone behind the bricks and he even dug down behind the limestone about 18 inches and never hit bottom. We're 99.99% sure he hit the old cistern from the Seminole War fort!

 

[Guest 1551]

also someone on another forum sent me this BRICK BLOG: H or M and T A and Sons So at least we now know the bricks date pre-1867! These specific bricks could also have been tossed on later because Dad said that when he originally found them they appeared to be tossed on. Either way, the bricks, along with the cistern, are super old!